Bert. Sorry, but as Arnie would say. I'm back. Had a wee site trouble and lost a lot of my rants and raves. Have changed all my passwords and up dated my security but after 6 years of setting this site up and spending many hours booking  and arranging groups for concerts, as Bob Dylan would say, a change is gonna come, or needs to come. Just checked the website hits and the great news is the number of people searching the site for our events and reading my News and Blues column. Mr Google also runs a monthly check on the site and hence I get a second opinion as a backup. These trying musical times has found the club is also ailing in the pandemic. Sadly due to contractual booking arrangements Jaws will take a wee break in May and June and I am trying to line up an extra special group to play July. As mentioned before the club committee has decided to cancel the KML concert series which was set up to promote the younger local musicians which will now leave the local schools and Ara Music Arts with an extra pressure to help our music survive. The main leaders are Judith Bell, Dave Pitt, Duncan Ferguson, and Nanako Sato.  Most of our local high schools have fantastic music programmes, passionate teachers and itinerants plus Gywn Renolds, head of Ara Music Arts. They will now have an even harder job to promote and support our up coming youth. Chisnallwood School band played 2 KML concerts and the money they received helped fund their band trip to China. Afrosuede, a 4 piece Hagley band, mentored by Nanako also played a KML gig and as a result 3 members signed up to study at Ara Music Arts. Hopefully some other group with new ideas will step up to help aid younger Christchurch music. Will keep you posted. Till then take care.    Hi, found and sorted my old backpage. Enjoy.           News and Blues  Bert,  Feb 2021 Short and Sweet. JAWS Concerts are back. Again the ALL GIRL BIG BAND kicked off this years series playing a fantastic concert which was received by a nearly full audience of music lovers.  Next up TOUCHWOOD as a 5 piece. These guys have been playing together for many years and have a very eclectic taste in their repertoire The clubs  KLM concerts also start on March 12th and first up is  Vintage Blue a great duo featuring Rob and Jenny Payne. The ever changing music scene has again thrown up  challenges as our venue is required to close when Christchuch is not at level one. Booking our bands in these times requires flying by the seat of ones pants but so far the local musicians have been great to deal with and its a good feeling to supply them with a first class venue, a very experienced sound man and payment which is something that feeds the soul and the family. All musicians deserve to be paid for their services which requires a massive amount of love, passion and dedication. Venues and clubs and associated groups need to realise good music is an asset and is a special product that requires recompense. At the end of the day its a job. Our Ara Music Arts students need to be rewarded for their dedication and  hard work. We need to maintain the standard for the young blood coming through and carry on the work our earlier trailblazers, Stu Buchanan, Doug Caldwell, Tommy Kahi, Lambert Scott, Murry Griffith, Doug Kelly and the Marsden brothers who worked hard to set up fair pay rates and conditions. In recent times these standards have been seriously disregarded and abused. Chris of Rattle & Strum ran a Music Agency (unfortunately now closed) that was a great asset to local musicians as they set a standard of payment around Christchurch that was fair and was happily accepted by businesses that required music as an attraction. The conditions were also upgraded to a better working standard. Sadly the pandemic hasn't helped and last year I had to cancel 7 club concerts due to covid. Our yearly Christchurch Jazz and Blues Concert Series was also cancelled due to health and safety concerns. Alas local musicians again lost work. Myself and several other local musicians also lost weekly residencies because of the virus and its effects.  The Club can help musicians solo or groups with setting up their own website. Contact Bert Parrant for details. 0273548155 or bertpar45@gmail.com. I have a big thank you to David Saunders who has recently retired from his position at Ara as the sound techican tutor. Dave produced the sound for our Jaws and KNL concerts and was extremely talented in  the ear department. Born in the UK Dave spent 19 years working for Jeff Beck, one of the worlds greatest guitarist and also provided sound for some of the most famous bands in his era. Again this year we are very lucky to have Dave Cooper provide sound for our concert bands. Dave only recently resigned from recording sound for Jason Gunns TV studio, Whitebait. The Ara auditorium is world class but the finished bands sound quality comes down to  person behind the mixing desk and it is often said, they are almost another member of the featured band. Tom Rainey has been awarded a well earned OBE for his contribution to NZ music. One of our Club members have received a  Civic Award this year: KIM BLACKMORE: For 20 years as musical director and conductor of Stedfast Brass not only arranging the performances but also giving tuition to new and less skilled members. Congratulations Kim. here is a link to his story.   https://newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/top-brass-performer. Christchurch music is again in the news with Duncan Ferguson of St Andrews College winning a Tui for Music Teacher of the year. Congratulations must  also go to Dave Pitt the head of music at Papanui High School. His Combo and Big band won the top award at the school music awards held in Bleheim this August 2019. Club members can now get  up to a 15% discount from the Rockshop as of today, August 21st, 2019. Discount does not apply to specials or small purchases. Other musical shops and businesses dealing in our profession have a  10%  reduction on musical equipment and services. These businesses are listed on our first page slideshow.  This is not fake news. Local Boy Marlon Williams has got himself a gig in a film with Lady Gaga and  Bradley Cooper. The original 1976 film was,  A Star is Born starring Barbara Streisand. Marlon also won album of the year at our NZ music awards for 2018. He also performed recently in the mosque tribute concert and sang " And I Love You So" in Maori. Very brave and very well done. Several of our Christchurch Pop Choir are heading off overseas to perform next year at Carnegie Hall. The Folk Club is still going great guns on Sundays at the Irish Society Club hall, 29 Domain terrace. Marguerite and Barrie Clubb are still going strong with recording musical performances at their fantastic earthy Greendale ex church venue. Bruce Lemming has recently be made a life member of the musos club. Christchurchs Mr Music, Charlie Jemmett  is now in full swing at the New Brighton Market on Saturdays. Charlie loves a good chat, so stop by. Now a wee reflection, some blues. Sadly in the last few years we have lost many first class local muso's to the great gig in the sky. We remember Stu Buchanan, Doug Petrie, Brian Ringrose, Mita Edwards, Peter Hanson, Trevor Latham, Jim Phillips, Dean Luke and Phil Garland. A big music supporter was Hans Schuitman who started the Flaxwood Festivals which also became a wee tribute to another local legend, Murry Wood. Membership to the club is now free to join.